Chicago
Alumni Club of Chicago (KACC)

The Downtown, North/Northwest and West groups of the Kellogg Alumni Club of Chicago are going strong and providing our area alums with many monthly educational, social and volunteer events for practically every interest. Throughout the school year KACC members can typically choose from eight to 10 events per month to learn, network and catch up with old friends.

Some annual event favorites got the things rolling for the KACC. Early this year, the KACC held its annual open board meeting, which allows alums to attend the board's monthly meeting to hear about upcoming events, meet the board members, provide feedback and suggestions for the club and network with fellow alums. As in past years, good information and ideas were exchanged and everyone enjoyed meeting some fellow alums.

One of the club's most popular events, "Who Won the Super Bowl Commercials?" was a big hit again this year. Tim Calkins, clinical associate professor of marketing, replayed the commercials and moderated a lively discussion of who won and lost the battle of the Super Bowl commercials and why. In addition to the laughs and genuine fun, everyone learned a lot about advertising strategy from this thoughtful analysis and dialogue.

Another annual event that was very well attended this year was the networking and movie program with Northwestern School of Law alumni. KACC and law school alums attended the IMAX movie "Everest," then got together at a reception following the movie to network.

Social events for alums have included several TGIFs in the city and suburbs, as well as attendance at a Chicago Storm game of the Professional Indoor Soccer league. Attendees enjoyed a post-game autograph session with the team's players including a star whose brother is a Kellogg alum. On a more cerebral note, the KACC book clubs in the city and suburbs have been going strong this year with several popular business books on the reading list. The discussions have attracted many avid readers with thought-provoking exchanges on the key lessons from each book.

KACC has also been busy in the community over the past months. The KACC North/Northwest group organized volunteers to join a community service project called River Rescue. Volunteers cleared brush and picked up trash and litter along a branch of the Chicago River, joining forces to help clean up and improve a popular nature sanctuary for the many visitors from the Chicago area and beyond. KACC also helped sell out an annual charity tennis clinic. Alums attended the clinic with tennis pros providing instruction and tips and joined a post-clinic celebration that included a silent auction.

Finally, KACC was fortunate recently to host two dynamic business leaders for its first "back to back" evening programs for the Downtown and North/Northwest groups. David Clark, former CEO of Campbell Soup Canada, and Mike Griffiths, managing partner of the Centre for Strategy Implementation in London, presented "Igniting Your Workforce and Transforming Your Culture — The Top 10 Lessons From a CEO." Mike and David shared tips on strategically creating breakthrough performance in a company based on their organizations' successful work together.